


The Rehabilitation of the Buckaroo Bandit

by Stacysmash



Series: Random Rare Pairs [30]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Bandit Bokuto, Bandit Kuroo, Comedy, Deputy Michimiya, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Shenanigans, Sheriff Daichi, Western AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 12:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16346543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: Michimiya had a lot to prove as one of the first women in the west to be assigned as a deputy. Her chance arrives quickly when a bandit sweeps into town to rob the local bank while the sheriff is away. Can she still do her duty, however, when the criminal proves to be an adorable beefcake with a heart of gold?Ask Challenge! Pick a genre and a Rare Ship!Bokuto x Michimiya and author's pick of genre





	The Rehabilitation of the Buckaroo Bandit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yikescaninot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikescaninot/gifts).



> Thank you yikescaninot for requesting!! I didn't expect to do this one so quickly, but when you let me pick the genre I got really excited because no one ever chooses a Western, ha ha ha. I hope you enjoy it!!

The Sheriff’s Office of Karasuno was snug, just big enough for two cells and a couple of desks for Sheriff Sawamura Daichi and his brand-new deputy. It had been a while since Daichi had a deputy, and he was still getting used to splitting the duties and relying on her. He walked around the station, sifting through papers and telegrams sent in from other towns. He paused by his desk and nearly fell on top of it when his deputy ran smack into his back.

“Oof!” A muffled voice said into his shirt and she shrieked as she jumped back. “I’m so sorry, Sawamura-kun! I wasn’t paying attention,” Michimiya explained, biting her lip as her cheeks flushed bright pink. Daichi laughed and shook his head as he adjusted his hat.

“Stop apologizing for everything, you’re doing great. Well, maybe you don’t have to follow me around like a shadow.”

“Oh! Right, sorry,” She giggled nervously.

“It’s fine. Here, we’ve got some new wanted posters drawn up. Would you post them on the board?”

“Sure! I can do that!” She shouted with a wide grin on her face as she grabbed all the papers out of his hands and ran over to the bulletin board. It was only then she realized most of the papers were Daichi’s telegrams. She flashed him an apologetic smile and laid the stack on his desk, weeding out the two wanted posters from the stack.

As she scanned the board for an empty spot, she took several deep breaths to calm down, wishing she could just relax and do her job. It was nearly unheard of for a sheriff to choose a woman as his deputy and she wanted to set a good precedent. She felt the Wild West made people hardier than other places in the world, and that included women and children. And Karasuno women were even stronger than most; they had to be, dealing with all those rowdy men.

Daichi had apparently suffered a lot of criticism from other towns for the decision, but he seemed entirely indifferent to them. Even when some hinted that it was only due to them being childhood friends that she received the position, he answered by asking if they’d like to challenge her abilities, confident that she could beat them in any way they requested. He assured Michimiya he chose her because she was right for the job, and that silly rumors and foolish people shouldn’t get her down.

“Hmm, he looks familiar,” Michimiya said absentmindedly as she stared at the first picture in her hands. The man was sketched with black hair spraying up everywhere and falling over one eye. His heavy-lidded eyes stared at her from the paper like he was taunting her, and his crooked grin only enhanced that vibe.

“Who? Oh… _him_ ,” Daichi said, glancing over her shoulder as his face darkened. “That’s Kuroo Tetsurou, one of the most devious thieves I’ve ever run across. He’s the leader of the Black Cat Gang, who can rob a stagecoach without anyone even noticing. This is probably why he looks familiar,” He said, tugging an older poster of Kuroo off the board, “There’s been a reward for him as long as I’ve been sheriff, but at least their sketches are getting more accurate. We’ll replace this with the new one, this hardly looks like him at all. His hair is way messier and falls over the opposite eye, his eyes are lighter, he’s not even smirking— did the artist ever see him? They must have been working from a second-hand description.”

“Hmm, sounds like you’ve had a lot of experience with Kuroo to know him so well,” Michimiya said conversationally, biting her lip to keep a giggle from tumbling out. Despite being old friends with Daichi, she still needed to treat him with respect and not tease him for having a crush on a criminal.

“I do have a lot of experience with him. I would go as far as calling him my nemesis. I swear half the time he steals just to piss me off, not even because he needs the money. One of these days I’m going to get my hands on him…”

Michimiya watched the sheriff as his eyes narrowed at the poster, gazing with heated intensity into Kuroo’s carefree eyes sketched out on the paper. _Should I leave you two alone?_ She barely held back saying. Instead, she left her boss to whatever fantasies were going on in his head and looked at the next poster.

The man in that sketch was vastly different from the first, though they had a similar mischievous aura about them. Unlike Kuroo, Bokuto Koutarou had large, bright eyes and hair that spiked straight up that was darker at the bottom and very light on top. Somehow just looking at the portrait put her in a better mood, and though the man was described to be a rough and fearsome bandit, she couldn’t subdue the strange craving to see him in person.

After spending the morning organizing paperwork, Daichi took Michimiya around the town to show her the route he took whenever he was checking on the citizens of Karasuno. It was a duty they would take turns doing so one could be present at the sheriff’s office in case anyone went there for help. As they passed by the saloon, Daichi held his arm out in front of her and cautiously peeked over the swinging doors.

“Why are we stopping?” She whispered, trying to peer over his shoulder.

“Word of advice, if Asahi spots you, he may drag you in with a laundry list of things he’s worried about. He’s perfectly fine, just gets a little anxious. The problem is he’ll keep you all day when there are other people who probably need you more.”

“Doesn’t he have more reason to worry than others? I hear it gets crazy in there.”

“It can, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. Most people are too intimidated by him to mess around too much.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Ah, now’s our chance!”

Daichi ducked and shuffled until he reached the end of the building and hopped off the deck. Michimiya felt ridiculous following after, hunched over and waddling like a duck just to avoid Asahi’s gaze, but none of the citizens meandering through the town even gave them a second look. Daichi waited patiently for her around the corner and nodded across the street at the mayor’s office while they continued.

“Suga pops in several times a week to gossip, but you’ll get used to him.”

“Um, should you be calling the mayor by a nickname?”

“The only time we call each other by our official titles is when we’re trying to piss each other off,” Daichi laughed. “If he wasn’t my best friend, I suppose I’d treat him with a little more respect.”

Michimiya rolled her eyes. “I have a feeling this job will be just as entertaining as it is hard work.”

“Yup, I’d say that’s pretty accurate.”

“Oh, I think someone’s waiting for us,” Michimiya said as she pointed to a figure resting in the rocking chair outside the Sheriff’s Office, his long legs stretched out in front of him. His face was blocked by his dark hat and his slender hands as he played a tune on his harmonica.

“No… he wouldn’t,” Daichi said under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief. Michimiya stepped away as anger seemed to collect around Daichi in a dark cloud. The harmonica tune went flat when the mysterious man finally noticed their presence and greeted them with a wide teasing grin.

“Sawamura! ‘Bout time you showed up, I was getting bored and nearly threw myself in jail! You better pick up the slack or you’ll be out of a job,” Kuroo Tetsurou said in a carefree drawl as he leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms behind his head.

“You son of a—” Daichi growled, the last bit of his sentenced lost to the breeze as he lunged forward. Kuroo’s eyebrows raised in amusement and cackled like a hyena as he hopped off the rocking chair. It only took one leap for his long legs to reach his ink-black horse and swing himself up in the saddle. Michimiya frowned as the criminal hesitated before turning his horse and galloping toward the edge of town.

“Sawamura! I think it’s a trap!” She yelled, but Daichi waved her off once he landed in his own horse’s saddle.

“Probably! Keep your eyes peeled for any trouble in town!” He shouted, and without another word followed the dust cloud trail Kuroo left behind.

Michimiya’s head swiveled around as her heart pounded, waiting for bandits to pop out at any moment, but even after a few minutes, nothing happened.

_Hmm, I guess I’ll wait here. We already walked around town._

She entered the office and glanced around, but nothing seemed to be tampered with. It wasn’t until she turned around and saw the bulletin board that she spied Kuroo’s own picture with a thick mustache drawn onto it and some added scars and randomly blacked-out teeth. She couldn’t help giggling at the sight and wondered how Daichi would react when he returned… if he returned. The thought made her stomach grip with worry, but she shook her head and slapped her palms against her cheeks.

_I need to be strong and vigilant. Sawamura’s depending on me, he can handle himself!_

She hiked her pants up by the belt and drew out her gun, checking it over before twirling it on her fingers and landing it back in its holster. She decided to hover in the doorway, so she could keep an eye on the surrounding town and remain available if anyone needed assistance.

For an hour she waited there, tipping her hat to passing townsfolk and getting a little bored. There were only so many tumbleweeds she could count before she went insane. Her cheeks puffed out as she sighed and turned to do a little work at her desk, but a distant scream made her entire body go rigid.

Without hesitation, she bolted out the door and ran toward the commotion as a crowd flocked in the opposite direction. At first, she wasn’t sure which building it was coming from, but she found her answer when she heard the _pop_ from a gun coming from the bank. She immediately rushed toward it, slamming her back against the brick building and creeping toward the door with her gun held at the ready.

“Now, now, nothing to worry about folks! Just put your valuables in this hat and nobody will get hurt. Come on, Sleepy Eyes! Get a move on and fill up that bag up with money.” The man’s voice was deep and raspy but almost amused by the situation as his words teetered on the edge of a chuckle.

_Hm, we’ll see who has the last laugh_ , she thought as her thumb pulled back on the hammer to cock her gun. She clenched her jaw as her mind scrambled with a way to defeat the bandit without harming any of the people still inside the bank. Time was running out as she heard him finishing up inside and cringed at the only plan she could muster under such intense pressure.

_Well, it might work?_

“Pleasure doing business with you folks!” The man laughed and shuffled backward out of the doorway with his gun pointed at the people inside. Michimiya swung her leg against the back of his knees and the man yelped as he fell hard onto his back, the sack full of money spilling across the wood-planked deck. While he was momentarily stunned, Michimiya kicked his gun out of his hands and pointed her own down at his face with a triumphant grin.

“No, the pleasure’s all mine.”

The man’s golden eyes widened over the bandana masking half his face and Michimiya gasped with recognition. Bokuto Koutarou, the infamous bandit terrorizing every town for hundreds of miles, let out a low whistle and winked at Michimiya.

“Nice! You even put in a good comeback, too!”

“Well, I’m glad you’re impressed, _Bokuto-san_.”

Even with the bandana in place, she could tell he was grinning widely underneath it as his eyes crinkled and his eyebrows popped higher.

“Oh, do you think you could use my other name?”

“What other name?”

“I’m the Buckaroo Bandit!”

“Oh, your wanted poster only listed Bokuto Koutarou.”

“Damn it! You work hard for a reputation and then they go pull this shit. Oh, I didn’t catch your name, Miss...?”

“Michimiya Yui, the sheriff’s deputy. And you’re coming with me to the jail.”

“Ooooohhh, Sawamura got a new deputy?! I didn’t know, otherwise, we would have had a different plan. Well, nice to meet you Michimiya!”

Her ankle was suddenly tugged, throwing her off balance. She flailed her arms as gravity pulled her back, but a rough hand grabbed the wrist holding her gun and kept her from falling the rest of the way. She was yanked back up smacked straight into Bokuto’s broad chest while his other arm wrapped around her back to keep it there.

“Until next time, Michi-chan.”

He puckered his lips to smack a kiss in the air between them and spun her around, so she nearly fell off the deck. When she finally steadied herself against the wall of the bank and regained her focus, Bokuto had already snatched up the bag with most of its contents and was running toward his bay mare waiting for him patiently.

“Wait!” She yelled as she ran after him. She had completely forgotten about her gun that had dropped out of her hold and instead jumped off the deck and onto Bokuto’s back, wrapping her arm around his neck in a choke-hold.

Most of the townsfolk had already retreated indoors during the commotion, but across the street, three figures watched in amusement outside the saloon.

“You think we should help her?” Asahi asked, leaning against a pillar.

“Nah, she’s doing great!” Sugawara assured him, waving his hand as he giggled at the spectacle. On the other side of him, Shimizu Kiyoko, the local school teacher, sighed and adjusted her spectacles on her nose.

“You’re a little cruel, Sugawara.”

They stared as Bokuto whirled around the empty road as Michimiya’s legs spun around in the air. No matter what he tried, he seemed unable to dislodge the plucky deputy from his back.

“It’s like she’s trying to break in a new horse,” Asahi murmured, and Sugawara snorted into his hand.

“You’re right! We should have an event like this more often. I feel like such a display could lift our people’s spirits.”

“Perhaps you should use real horses or steers instead of criminals though,” Shimizu suggested, pursing her lips as Bokuto dropped to his knees and bucked Michimiya into the air over his head.

“Hmm, I’ll consider it,” Sugawara mused as he stroked his chin, watching as Bokuto scrambled to his horse completely empty-handed while Michimiya struggled back onto her feet. She was a little disoriented from the spinning, however, and she weaved a few paces as Bokuto hopped on his horse and galloped out of town. She ran after him but stopped as she was submerged in a cloud of dust, coughing from the lack of fresh air.

“Michimiya!” Sugawara cried, waving to get her attention. “My horse is right there! He’s fast, go ahead and get him!”

“Thank you, Sugawara-san!” She cried as she leaped into the saddle of Sugawara’s palomino and took off after the elusive bandit. “See? I helped,” He shrugged and gave his friends an angelic grin.

“I think when Sawamura gets back, he’s going to murder you,” Shimizu said, patting Sugawara’s shoulder sympathetically.

“Nah, he’ll forgive me! We’re best friends!”

“Oh look, there’s Tsukishima,” Asahi, pointing across the street at the slim figure bedecked entirely in a black suit and top hat. “That’s convenient, he can go ahead and measure you for a coffin.”

Sugawara laughed and slapped Asahi’s back with more force than needed.

“You guys worry too much. Just to be safe, though, I’m going to lock myself up in my office.”

Meanwhile on the road heading away from Karasuno into the distant hills, Michimiya leaned forward in her saddle and shouted encouragements to her steed. Sugawara was right, he was exceptionally fast and seemed playfully competitive as he tore after the horse in front of him. Luckily, Michimiya was an expert rider and could easily handle the horse’s spunk. Away from the town that held all her anxieties about not being good enough, she felt more in her element on open land and grinned with determination.

She squinted and shielded her eyes from the glaring sun, wondering what to do as she had nearly caught up to Bokuto. She finally realized she had dropped her pistol in the middle of the town, but she still had a spare in her other holster. It wasn’t in her nature to shoot someone in the back, but she still needed to stop him quickly before he joined up with his cohorts. Then she’d really be in trouble.

She adjusted her seat in the saddle, and as her hand gripped onto the leather she felt something rough instead against her skin. Her eyes flickered down, and she gasped when she spied a coil of rope fastened to the saddle.  She quickly gathered it into her hands and looped it into a lasso as best she could while keeping hold of the reins. Unfortunately, Bokuto had gained a little distance while she was distracted.

“Come on, Boy! Yeeee Haw!” She yelled as she looped the reins around the pommel and began twirling the lasso above her head. Her palomino bobbed his head excitedly and surged forward, just as determined as she was to catch the duo ahead of them. She churned the rope in the air until it had gained just enough momentum and let it fly with a shout.

Bokuto had been under the impression that he had been drawing away from Michimiya and her horse, focused only on making it back to the Wiley Owl pack’s hideout without leaving a trail for her to follow. So, it came as a great shock when a rope sailed over his head and tightened on his arms, yanking him clean off his horse. He landed like a sack of potatoes on the ground as his horse continued down the road without a backward glance.

“Traitor,” He grunted as he winced from the pain assaulting him from several parts of his body. He shuffled up to a sitting position as best he could without the use of his arms, desperate to get his head up above the dust cloud so he could take a breath. He was suddenly knocked back onto the ground as a girl landed on top of him.

“Ha! I’ve got you now, Bokuto!”

“Um, I can’t breathe,” He wheezed, gesturing his head to where she was sitting on his stomach. She yelped and shuffled back further. Her hands grabbed hold of his leather vest and yanked him back up to a sitting position.

“Sorry, is this better?”

He coughed into his shoulder and nodded as he managed to take several deep breaths of fresh air. When he finally looked back at her, he flinched realizing she was sitting on his lap, fingers still curled into his vest. She gazed at him through warm brown eyes, her brows creased tight with worry. He was relieved he had the bandana on his face, certain it had flushed an embarrassing shade of red. He would have never admitted it to anyone, but he rarely ended up in such an intimate position with a young lady without paying her a little something first, and even then they were rarely as cute as Michimiya.

“Uh… not that I mind or anything, but are you gonna sit here all day?” He chuckled, giving his hips a little buck to bounce her on his lap. It was her turn to be embarrassed as she scrambled off, her hands flailing to grab hold of the rope.

“I’m sorry! I just didn’t want you to escape again.”

“I can understand that, I guess. So, what now?”

“I’m taking you back to Karasuno and putting you in the jail!” She announced, puffing out her chest with pride. Bokuto felt his cheeks heat up again and averted his gaze.

“Oh, okay.”

Michimiya blinked and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Okay? What do you mean, you’re just going to let me take you in?”

Bokuto shrugged. “I lost my horse and it’s too far for me to walk back. Besides, you’re really… what’s the word when you won’t give up?”

“Oh, uh, tenacious?”

“I’ve never heard of that word, but if that’s what it means, sure!”

Michimiya laughed and walked back toward him, kneeling as her fingers began tightening the rope.

“Hold still while I tie you up better.”

“Are you going to make me walk back to town?”

She paused in her work to glance back the way they’d come. From that point, the little town of Karasuno could barely be seen in the distance and a quick glance at the afternoon sun told her they’d never make it by sunset if she made him walk.

“We’ll both have to get on my horse. Poor thing, I hope it can handle both of us.”

“Sure, he can, he looks sturdy enough. Besides, you’re pretty light.”

“Oh, how would you know?” She asked, her cheeks reddening as she gave a flustered laugh.

“Well, I had you on my back for a while when we were still in town, and then you sat on my lap—”

“Alright, I get it!” She shouted as she buried her face in her hands.

“It’s okay, honestly besides all the bruises and scrapes I got, not to mention losing all the money I stole, I had a lot of fun!”

“Really?”

“Sure! I think you’re a really good deputy!”

Bokuto was being honest when he said it, but he hadn’t expected Michimiya’s radiant smile to beam at him with the power of heaven itself. If Cupid was attempting to fire an arrow into his heart, Bokuto considered his heart skewered like swiss cheese.

“Uh, we should get going,” He said, nodding at the sun drifting lower in the sky. She nodded and helped them both to their feet since Bokuto had no use of his arms. They found a nearby cluster of rocks for them to stand on to swing into the palomino’s back. Bokuto sat right behind the saddle, just barely able to grab onto the back of it to keep himself stable. Once he was situated, Michimiya hopped on the saddle in front of him and set them off at a loping pace, quick enough to get them back before sunset but smooth enough that Bokuto could still hold on.

High up on a nearby ridge, Akaashi Keiji was hovered over a rock and lowered his spyglass with an unimpressed look.

“She caught him.”

“You’re kidding! Nobody’s ever caught Bokuto before,” Komi said in disbelief, peering over the rock with his hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun. “We gonna go rescue him?”

Akaashi frowned as he watched the pair travel further away, gradually drawing closer to Karasuno.

“No, he’ll be fine.”

“Seriously? We’re just going to abandon him?”

“I have the feeling Bokuto-san could have gotten away if he wanted to. The point is he didn’t want to escape from her,” He explained, a small smirk curling on his lips. “We’ll keep an eye on the situation and think up a plan to break him out if they decide to hang him. Come on, let’s get back to the others.”

Komi laughed and slapped Akaashi on the back as they turned their backs on their Boss being carried off to jail.

Michimiya bit her lip, feeling the heat from Bokuto’s body pressing into her back. He wasn’t at all like she expected a criminal to be, he seemed sweet and playful. She told herself that was ridiculous and probably just being naive. It was her duty to treat him like any other thief.

She felt a thumb graze across the seat of her pants and she flinched forward out of surprise with a squeal.

“Oh! Sorry, my hand slipped,” Bokuto said, his voice genuinely apologetic. “They’re getting a little sweaty.”

Michimiya craned her head around to see for herself how white his fingers were from trying to hold onto the saddle at such an odd angle. Holding the reins steady in one hand, she reached back with the other to grip into the rope across his chest.

“Here, does this help?”

“Yeah, it does. You’re a great rider!”

“Thank you,” She said, shyly tucking her head against her shoulder though she knew he couldn’t see her flushed cheeks from where he sat behind her. Because she turned her head, however, he did get a glimpse of her blush. He smiled dreamily at it, wishing he could stroke his finger against it. He wasn’t the most experienced with women, but he could clearly see how the honest compliment made her feel and he wondered if he could do it again.

_Hmm, but Akaashi also says I overdo things sometimes. Ugh, this is hard._

“How did you get to be such a good rider?” He finally asked, thinking it was a safe topic.

“My family herds cattle, but we also breed horses and break them in. Most of the horses in Karasuno were raised by our family.”

“Oh! I think my horse used to be one of yours! I stole him off a—” He started and flinched when she shot him a dirty glare over her shoulder. “Uh, ha ha, well, he’s a great horse. I take good care of him, I promise!”

“How did you ever become a thief?” She asked, changing the subject slightly.

“My parents lost their farm and decided to pack up and go back east. I didn’t want to go back though, I hadn’t been there since I was young, and the kids there always made fun of me. This is my entire world and here I have friends who understand me.

So, I was young and on my own with my buddies who were also hard-up on their luck. Then we heard of some big-shot tycoon traveling through on a train, and we thought we’d make some quick money by taking some of his. And we did! Man, that’s a great story, I’ll have to tell you it sometime. But, the rest is history you might say.”

“Well, I’m glad you have friends who stand by you, but I wish you could use your skills for something better. It’s a difficult life out here for folks without having their money taken away by a bandit.”

“Hmm, I never thought of it that way. Wait, what skills?”

Michimiya laughed and leaned back, bumping into his chest playfully.

“You’re a good rider yourself, and I feel like you could really appeal yourself to a lot of people. You have a lot of charisma.”

“Wow, really? I never thought of it like that before.”

“Well, maybe you should! Being a productive member of society will make it easier on you in a lot of ways. You could even visit me without being arrested,” She giggled, and she felt the rumble of his chuckles reverberate into her back. It was concerning how good it felt.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

All too soon, the road curved into Karasuno, and she felt a pit in her stomach begin to grow. She should have felt proud as she rode through town with the notorious bandit tied up behind her. She was welcomed with cheers and encouragement, so much that she had to purse her lips to keep from tearing up though it had nothing to do with her pride. It was the guilt gnawing at her conscious. It was still hard to believe the handsome man pressing into her back was a criminal. He was obviously a mischievous person, but he didn’t seem to have a cruel bone in his body. She would hate it if her triumph in capturing Bokuto also meant his inevitable doom.

As they neared the sheriff’s office, she noticed a couple of horses tied up outside it: Kuroo’s black stallion and Sawamura’s brown and white paint. She was relieved that he hadn’t walked into a trap, or if it had been a trap he still managed to get out of it. Her nerves multiplied when she thought about how he would punish Bokuto once they locked him in the jail cell across the room.

She pulled the palomino up to the rail and slid off with ease, looping the reins loosely around it to give him room to drink from the water trough in front of it. As she helped Bokuto down as well, she could hear voices echoing from inside the building.

“Maybe I should go after her, it’s getting late.”

“What good could you do once the sun goes down?”

“But she’ll be out there alone in the dark.”

“Don’t worry! Most likely she’s with Bokuto and his men by now.”

“How is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“C’mon Sawamura, they’re good guys. They’d treat her alright.”

“I hope so.”

She couldn’t help hesitating before walking in, curious who Daichi was confiding in so honestly. Bokuto cocked his head at her and asked if she was okay, but she shook her head with a smile and brought him to the office doorway. Inside, Daichi leaning against the cell, his head resting against one of the bars. On the other side was Kuroo Tetsurou, hands clasped on the bars above Daichi’s head as he hovered over him. She paused again in the doorway, seeing Daichi lost to his worries and Kuroo gazing at him with an alarming amount of compassion.

_This is his arch nemesis? They look like they’re married._

She gave a little cough to get their attention and Daichi straightened up in surprise. Kuroo’s eyes lit up as he looked them over, an amused grin spreading wide on his face.

“No way, she caught you?!”

Bokuto shrugged as he chuckled sheepishly. “She lassoed me right off my horse.”

Kuroo gripped onto his stomach as he cackled with delight. Sawamura beamed at Michimiya and patted her on the back.

“Well done! I was worried when I heard what happened from Asahi, but I’m relieved you made it back in one piece. And you caught Bokuto Koutarou himself! I can’t wait to rub it in Seijoh’s face, they’ve been trying to catch him for months,” Daichi said with an oddly ominous glint in his eye. He reached over and removed the bandana from Bokuto’s face and glanced up at his matching wanted poster with a satisfied nod. “Alright, let’s go. Got a nice little cell for you over here.”

“Oh, thanks Sawamura! It’s even got a bucket!”

Daichi removed the rope from around Bokuto and patted him down, checking for any more weapons. Michimiya winced as he removed several knives and a pocket revolver, realizing that he could have used them on her at any time. Daichi didn’t reprimand her, however, just giving her a stern look as he set the weapons on her desk and ushered Bokuto into his cell.

“So, uh, what happens now? You keep me for a few days and let me go, now that I’ve learned my lesson?”

“With the amount of thieving you’ve done? You’ll go to trial and receive a real punishment.”

“Aw, shit. Am I gonna get the noose?”

“I’m not sure, it’s a possibility. Once we notify the county that we have you, they’ll send a judge of their own. It won’t be my decision.”

“Wait, that goes for me too?” Kuroo asked, his long arms slipping out of the bars to hang in the air.

“Yup. You should have thought of that before you showed up on my doorstep just to taunt me.”

“It wasn’t just for that, I was doing it for Bokuto.”

“What?”

“I owed him a favor, and he used me to get you out of the way. Word hadn’t gotten around to us that you hired a deputy.”

“Tch, figures you were just bait.”

“Hey, Sawamura,” Kuroo called softly, his face strangely solemn. “You’re not going to really let them hang me, are you?”

Daichi gazed back at him, not answering right away. Michimiya glanced between them, fascinated by the inner conflict Daichi seemed to have toward Kuroo.

“I’m a man of the law, Kuroo. You know that better than anyone.”

“But this is the West. Surely even the Sheriff can get a little _wild_ with his decision making.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Bokuto and I aren’t bad guys, we’ve never even killed anybody! We’re totally open to being rehabilitated if you’re interested.”

“Rehabilitated… _you_? What would you even do if you weren’t robbing stagecoaches and banks?”

“There are plenty of options!”

“I suppose the church could have you, make you into a priest,” Daichi offered with a sly grin. Kuroo narrowed his eyes and returned the look with a smirk of his own.

“Would you really put me in a situation where I couldn’t seduce you anymore, Sawamura?”

Daichi’s face flushed red as he glared daggers at Kuroo.

“Oh, has he seduced you already, Sawamura-kun?” Michimiya asked, leaning forward eagerly.

“No! Ugh, we’re getting off topic. Name me one profession that would make an honest man out of you, Kuroo.”

“Easy! Housewife to the sheriff. Who better to make an honest man out of me?! I’ll learn how to cook and clean, I’ll welcome you home at the end of the day and make you feel _really_ good.”

Daichi buried his flaming-red face in his hands and groaned. Michimiya tried stifling her giggles in her hand, worried she’ll be fired if she keeps encouraging the spectacle.

“Oh! And then I can marry the deputy!” Bokuto shouted excitedly, pointing at Michimiya who squawked at the suggestion. He leaned his face against the bars and blinked his large eyes at her pleadingly. “What do you say? Can I please be your housewife, Michi-chan?”

“Bokuto, you’d be my husband, not my wife,” She explained as her own face flushed bright red.

“Michimiya, don’t tell me you’re considering it, too!”

“I can’t help it! I’m getting caught up in all the sexual tension in here! It’s your fault!”

“How is it my fault?!” Daichi squawked and growled as he ran his fingers through his hair. “That’s it, no more talk about marriage!”

“Aw, and I was going to give you back the key to my cell and everything,” Kuroo pouted, snapping his fingers and a small key suddenly appearing in his hand.

“How the hell did you get that?!” Daichi yelled, lunging for it. Kuroo was too quick though, chuckling as he hopped back out of reach.

“I snuck it off you earlier. Do you want it? You’ll have to come and get it,” He leered, lounging back on his cot and shoving the key down the front of his pants. Daichi gaped at him from the bars, his brain no longer able to function as Kuroo wiggled his hips suggestively and continued his teasing. “Of course, if you’re worried about doing such a lurid act, you could fetch the preacher, so nobody would fault you for slipping your hand into my—”

“I can’t believe you,” Daichi cut him off, knocking his head against the metal bars. “I swear you planned this whole thing just to drive me insane.”

“I’m not trying to drive you insane and trust me, I hardly planned any of this. It’s just working out better than I anticipated.”

“Really? Because I’m about to send Michimiya to the telegram office to alert the county about your capture, telling to send the judge here as soon as possible. We’ll see how you like going on trial for your crimes. As for me, I’ll just watch your cell all night to make sure you don’t use that filthy key to escape,” Daichi said curtly, stomping across the room and flopping into his chair.

Michimiya bit her lip and looked worriedly at Bokuto. His golden eyes were dimmed with sadness as he gazed back at her, and her heart felt like it was going to break. She glanced back at Daichi to see him scribbling the message on a piece of paper while Kuroo watched from his own cell. Daichi’s actions had successfully wiped the smug look off his face and for the first time since she entered the sheriff’s office, he looked worried and hurt as he stared at Daichi’s back.

Suddenly Michimiya’s heart began to pound as if Bokuto was already being led to the gallows. She shuffled over to Bokuto’s cell and leaned against the bars, offering him a consoling smile.

“I’m sorry about this. I hope the judge goes easy on you.”

“Thanks, but he’s not likely to. It’s a rough world out here, ya know? They don’t have the time or the ability to be kind to ruffians like me.”

Michimiya pursed her lips and wrapped her hands around Bokuto’s, rubbing her thumbs across the back of his fingers.

“I wish there was something I could do. Would it actually work if I married you?”

“Oh! I-I don’t know, plus it’s awful sudden. I’d prefer taking you on a date first,” Bokuto chuckled nervously.

“You really want to?! Where would you take me?”

“Well, just taking you to the local restaurant would be pretty boring. Maybe a picnic out on the mesa, just the two of us. Then we could watch the sun go down and then see the stars come out.”

“Wow… that’s really romantic.”

“Oh, thanks. I’ve thought about it a lot, but I’ve never met a girl I really wanted to do that with before. If I do get hung, Michi-chan, I’m glad I at least got to meet you and get tackled by you several times.”

Michimiya winced as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She glanced over her shoulder at Daichi who had stopped writing to listen to their conversation. She gave him her most pleading look, making her eyes as big as she could as he cringed.

“Michimiya…” He warned, but his voice teetered on the edge of breaking down.

“Please, Sawamura? After everything we’ve been through? You saved me from that rattlesnake when we were six? I taught you how to ride better when you thought you couldn’t get the hang of it?”

“I can’t disobey the law, Michimiya. You need to go send this telegram,” He said, holding up the slip of paper.

“But—”

“No buts. _We_ enforce the law, there’s no way around that. And if you’re not willing to do what it takes, then you can’t truly be a deputy.”

She winced at the jab and reluctantly nodded, though an ache spread through her chest. She sniffed as she walked up to his desk and reached out to pluck the paper from his hands. As her eyes flickered over the words spelling Bokuto and Kuroo’s doom, a tear slid down her cheek and dropped on the corner of the paper.

Daichi sighed and stood up from his chair, giving her arms a reassuring squeeze.

“It’ll be fine. Just go do it, and when you’re done you can go home for the night. You did good work today.”

“I don’t feel like I did but thank you.” She looked at the cell at the far end of the room where Bokuto was watching. “Good night, Bokuto.”

“Night, Michi-chan. Don’t worry about us, get a good rest.”

“Thanks, but I doubt I will. Good night, Kuroo.”

Kuroo, who had been strangely quiet since Daichi had written the telegram, gave her a sad smile in return.

“Night, Michimiya. See ya in the morning.”

She nodded, still hesitating until Daichi ushered her out the door. He watched as she dragged her feet toward the telegram office, waiting until she had nearly reached it before turning around.

Kuroo was still lounging on his cot with his lips pressed in a tight line, arms crossed in front of his chest and his brim pulled low over his eyes. Daichi felt the chill coming from the cell even where he was standing. He sighed and crossed the room, fixing Bokuto with a stern look as he leaned against the bars of his cell.

“Are you really serious about Michimiya?”

“Huh? Of course, she’s awesome!”

“So, if you were to somehow get out of this predicament, you’d treat her right?”

“Yeah, um, where are you going with this? Aren’t you going to put us on trial?”

“That remains to be seen. Listen, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but if you break her heart I’m going to hunt you down and make you wish you were hung, got it?”

“Okay,” Bokuto squeaked out, shuffling to the back of the cell and as far away from his glare. Daichi’s face softened as he turned back toward Kuroo, who was watching the scene with intense curiosity. Daichi smirked at him as he walked to his desk, opening a drawer and pulling out a slim object. He stepped close enough to Kuroo’s cell to toss the object through the bars, landing lightly in Kuroo’s outstretched palm.

“My harmonica?”

“Yeah, no harm with you playing me something nice, right?” Daichi said as he settled back in his chair and propped his feet on his desk with a groan. “I hope you don’t put me to sleep though, otherwise I could wake up in the morning and find you two have escaped. It’s not like anyone stole my key and shoved it down their pants like an idiot.”

Kuroo shared a relieved grin with Bokuto and chuckled. “You could still reach down here and get that key if you want. My offer still stands.”

“When you escape, go learn how to cook something for me. Not just anything, it needs to be delicious. Then, maybe I’ll reconsider your offer,” Daichi said, giving Kuroo a wink before pulling his hat over his eyes and crossing his arms behind his head. Kuroo hid his reddening face by holding the harmonica up to his lips, playing the sweetest melody he could think of to soothe the love of his life into a gentle slumber.

Across the room, Bokuto stretched out over his cot, feeling too excited to be sleepy. It had been a crazy day and his body was still sore from being attacked, kicked, tackled, roped and yanked clean off his horse by Michimiya. _She’s definitely something else_ , He thought with a lovesick sigh. New plans began to form in his mind that had nothing to do with robbing banks. Instead, he needed to figure out a way to communicate with her without getting arrested, ask her out on a real date, and plan out the perfect one. He never thought he’d give up the fun and carefree life of a bandit, but he had a feeling dating Michimiya was going to be more fun than he could handle... almost.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Epilogue: Kuroo and his gang learn how to cook so well they end up opening a successful restaurant in town, and Kuroo is finally able to seduce the sheriff into his web of culinary seduction.  
> Bokuto and his gang get hired by Sugawara to throw the first ever rodeo, also becoming very successful as it becomes a hit.


End file.
